Ear muff band



I'. GOLDMAN EAR MUFF BAND April 18, 1950 Filed Dec. 9, 1947 IN V EN TOR.

Patented 'Apr. 18, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in ear muffs, and, more particularly, aims to provide a novel and valuable device incorporating a pair of ear mufis, one for each ear, and a coupling and carrying instrumentality therefor complete in and of itself as such instrumentality, and not a part of or an appendage to a hat, cap or the like.

An object of the invention is to provide an ear muff assemblage as above wherein said instrumentality is freely and substantially limply flexible, and preferably elastically flexible in a certain part thereof, whereby the muffs may always be properly protectively placed over the ears of the wearer, there to be held without discomfort and without undue conspicuousness, and with these results obtained whether or not, with said instrumentality having end portions to be tied, said end portions are tied under the chin or at the back of the head of the wearer.

While in combination with these features muffs of a previously known type are employed, a feature of the invention is that there is a special coaction between structural elements of each such muff and the connections of portions of said instrumentality thereto, for allowing ready shift of the locations of these connections in directions paralleling the peripheral curvatures of the muffs, thereby to adapt the ear muff assemblage for quick rearrangement thereof, to match ear settings peculiar to a particular wearer and also for quick rearrangement of said assemblage for most dependable securement in the case either where the portions to be tied are tied under the chin or where said portions are tied at the back of the head of the wearer.

A further object of the invention, in connection with all the foregoing, is to provide a simple and efiicient ear muif assemblage, and one wherein all portions of said instrumentality are very limply flexible, and all portions of said instrumentality, including said preferably present elastically flexible part thereof, are of very inexpensive materials, are capable of being formed without waste of said materials, and are interconnected with other parts of the assemblage by easily applied means of exceptionally low cost.

Various other objects, features and advantages will be explained or become apparent hereinafter.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly Set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this'disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view, showing a now favored embodiment of the invention, in use, with the end portions of said instrumentality tied below the chin of a wearer.

Fig. 2 is also a perspective view, showing the ear mufi assemblage removed from the wearer, and with one of the ear muffs removed from a part of said instrumentality, said part being a carrying frame for an ear muff, and part of the other ear muff broken away.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view, being a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective of an ear muff, detached.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view, showing the ear muff assemblage in use, but with the end portions of said instrumentality tied at the back of the head of a wearer.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the position assumed by the mouth of the pouch when the tapes are under longitudinal stress.

Referring to the drawings more in detail, each ear muff It comprises What may be called a pouch of substantially circular outline, and made of any suitable pliable and warm material. As here indicated, the material used is desirably a villous or furry one, preferably such a triflingly inexpensive one as lambskin. A substantially circular piece of this material has stitched thereon, and to its side opposite to its furry side, an encircling elastic tape II. The marginal portion of said piece may be slightly rufiled or gathered during the stitching. After attachment of the tape I I is completed by said stitching, the pouch is turned inside out, to provide the structure illustrated in Fig. 4.

Thus at its inner side said structure has an elastically distensible mouth I2, surrounded by an internal annular chamber I4 distensible with the mouth I2; these distensions being sufiicient to permit ready insertion and removal of an oval carrying frame I5, as one of metal, plastic or the like.

The carrying instrumentality comprises, in addition to the frame I5 and the like frame not shown because it is inside the muff III at the left in Fig. 2, a plurality of limplyflexible elongate portions consisting of a pair of tie tapes I6 and H, a pair of connector tapes I8 and I9, and an elastic interponent 20 between the tapes I8 and I9. Said tapes I6-I9 are satisfactory when constituted by straight cut off lengths of any low cost tape, preferably one of double-selvaged cotton ribbon character. Said interponent is de sirably in the form of an endless loop of ordinary round elastic tape.

The upper end of the tape I6 is turned back on itself over an end of the frame l5, and secured by applying two small metal eyelets through the two plies of the tape as indicated at 2|. The upper end of the tape [1 is similarly connected to the other frame which corresponds to the frame 15. I I 7 V V 'The connector tape l8; for flexibly joining, the ring I5 and the elastic interponent 20, is connected to the latter at the bight between an upper length l8 and a lower length N of the tape l8', and the length [8 has an end portion folded back so that the frame I5 is engaged at the bight between the length l8 and said portion IS: a pair of small metal eyelets being; applied; to-locle the parts 18 [8 and l8 together as indicated at 22, and a pair of such eyelets being also applied to lock the parts: I8 and 18* together as indicated at 23; I

The connector tape id; for flexibly joining the elastic interponentZt and the. other ring corresponding. to the ring- I 5 is arranged. and; eyeletted together as justexplained in connection with the tape l8.

In use, the elastic interponent 2.0 comfortably 7 tests on the top. of the head of the weareneven the chin. In Fig. 5, the device isshown as applied with these tapes tiedat the back. of the head. It will be-notedl from- Fig. 5 that: the;direction of extension of the tape Hiis'at an. angle tothe direction of extension: of? the tape. [8; as contradistinguished from the arrangement: of these parts in Fig. 2. Thisis: a featureof the invention resulting from the use, in. connection with muffs Illconstructed as abovedescribed and having the attributes pointed. out, of the tape element'sof the invention, and the loose; connections between the ends thereof and theiframe I 5 in one of themuffs andithec'orresponding frame in the other muff; suchloose connections; being provided by slightly spacing thev eyelets 2]? and 22 from the ring I5 and similarly spacing: from the other ring the corresponding eyelets applied to-the tapes [I and I9;

When the ear muff assembly. is-secured in position, the tapes [Band l9, theframe's .151 and the tie tapes It and I1 assume longitudinal aligned positions, as shown in Fig. -6, distorting I the elastic tapes H which assume oval. shapes between the tapes l6, l8 and 11, I9 and hold the pouches in-position on the frames-J5;

'While I have illustrated'and described'the pres ferried-embodiments of my invention, it is tob'e understood that I-"do not-limit myself to the 'pre'- cise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all'changes andmodifications com ingwithin the: scope of the invention' asi defined in the appendedclaim's.

Having thus described my: invention','. whatl claim as new, and -d'esire to secure byrUnited states-netters ratencis:

1. In an ear mufi assembly having a pair of ear muffs for engagement over ones ears and each including a rigid frame enclosed within a pouch of cloth material and having extendable mouth openings and tie tapes having ends attached to the rigid frames and depended therefrom to have their free ends tied beneath ones chin, resilient means for extension across the top of ones head and connected with said rigid frames at its ends, said resilient means comprising a continuous elastic loop interposed between the ear muffs on the sides opposite the sides from which the tie tapes extend, connector tapes having their intermediate portions passing through diametrically opposite sides of said elastic loop, said connector tapes having their free ends superimposed after being passed through said elastic loop and extended in opposite directions therefrom and passed through the adjacent sides of the rigid frames of the ear muffs and doubled over upon themselves, and means securing together the doubled over ends of said connector tapes to prevent disengagementthereof from the rigid frames. 7

2. In an. ear mufi" assembly havinga pair ofear muifs for engagement over ones ears and each including a rigid frame; enclosed within a pouch of cloth material and having extendable' mouth openings andtie tapes having ends attachedto therigid: frames and depended therefrom to have their free ends tied beneath ones chin, resilient means for extension across the top of ones head and connected with. said rigid frames at its ends; said resilient means comprising a continuous elastic loop interposed between the ear muffs on the sides opposite the sides from which the tic tapes extend, connector tapes having their intermediate portionspassing through diametrically opposite sides of said elastic loop, said connector tapes having their free ends superimposed after being passed through saidel'astic loopand extended in opposite directions therefrom. and passed through the adjacent sides of the rigid frames of the ear muflsand doubled over upon themselves, and means securing together the doubled over ends of said connector tapes to prevent disengagement thereof from the rigid frames, said securing means comprises eyelets passedthrough thedoubled over ends of said com nector tapes; 7 7

3'. In an ear muif' assembly having a pair of ear. muffs for engagement over ones ears: and. each including a rigid frame enclosed within a pouch of cloth material" and having ext'endable: mouth openings andtie tapes having endsattached to the rigid frames and depended therefrom to have their free ends tied beneath ones chin, resilient means for extension across the top of ones head and connected with said rigid frames at its ends. said" resilient means comprising a" continuous elastic loop-interposed between theear muffs on the sides-opposite the sides from which the tie'tapes-extend. connector tapes. having their nitemnediateportions passing through diametrically opposite. sides. of: said elastic loop, said connec'tor tapes 'havingitheir free: ends superimposed after being passed through 'sa id -elastic loop and extended in. opposite directions: therefrom andi passed through the adj acent: sidesof ther igid' frames: of the. ear: mufisr and doubled over upon; themselves; and: means? securing to gether the doubledf over ends: of-I saidf conn'ector tapes 5 to prevent: disengagement: thereof from the rigid frames; and. eyeletsiipassin'gt through; the superimposed: 'layersiiof said connector: tapes S closely adjacent said elastic loop preventing 1ongitudinal movement of said elastic loop between the adjacent faces of the superimposed layers of said connector tapes.

IRVING GOLDMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number Number 6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Gaisman Feb. 7, 1899 Dwyer May 5, 1908 Smith Feb. 16, 1932 Bean Mar. '7, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France Sept. 25, 1903 

